BAU: Association of Research and Development Movement of Singai Sarawak or Redeems, will be debuting another big-scale festival this year.
NO MORE THERE: A June 18, 2008 file photo of the longhouse and the tanju at Redeems Centre.
To be known as Ethnic Praise Music Festival and designated as pre-Christmas event, it will be held at the Redeems Centre at Jalan Apar – Segong that is also the venue of the successful Gawai Carnival Redeems (GCR).
Redeems president Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie said this festival would be open to Christians irrespective of denominations.
He also said the festival, to be held tentatively on December 4 and 5, aims to bring together Christians of ethnic groups from Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia for days and nights of praise and worship.
“We start (the festival) local-based first, before going international just like GCR. (But unlike GCR which is a Gawai event), this Festival is slated as pre-Christmas festival.
“It will not be only for the Catholic, Anglican, Methodist (or any other denomination), but it is about giving praise to the Lord,” he told reporters at the presentation of minor rural project (MRP) grants at Kampung Barieng yesterday.
Earlier in his speech, Nansian who is also Assistant Minister of Environment and Tasik Biru assemblyman said a Singapore-based consultant would be invited for preparation works on the festival.
He said an event such as this is good to promote what he termed as spiritual tourism industry. He also hoped the festival could also mould youths in the area into disciplined and God-fearing people.
“Redeems is not about organising the Gawai Carnival. We also want to promote good values among the people,” he said.
On another matter, Nansian said the 12-door longhouse representing the 12 Singai villages as well as the 200 feet long and 100 feet wide tanju (open space) at the Redeems Centre have been demolished.
He said the longhouse and tanju, which have been always associated with the GCR since its inception in 2006, had to be demolished to make way for the construction of the Redeems Cultural Centre.
To a question, he said the new Cultural Centre costs RM4 million and expected for completion by May next year.
“The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will be invited to declare open the new building during next year’s Gawai Carnival Redeems,” he said.